The proliferation of transaction cards, which allow the cardholder to pay with credit rather than cash, started in the United States in the early 1950s. Initial transaction cards were typically restricted to select restaurants and hotels and were often limited to an exclusive class of individuals. Since the introduction of plastic credit cards, the use of transaction cards have rapidly proliferated from the United States, to Europe, and then to the rest of the world. Transaction cards are not only information carriers, but also typically allow a consumer to pay for goods and services without the need to constantly possess cash, or if a consumer needs cash, transaction cards allow access to funds through an automatic teller machine (ATM). Transaction cards also reduce the exposure to the risk of cash loss through theft and reduce the need for currency exchanges when traveling to various foreign countries. Due to the advantages of transaction cards, hundreds of millions of cards are now produced and issued annually, thereby resulting in a need for companies to differentiate their cards from competitor's cards.
Initially, the transaction cards often included the issuer's name, the cardholder's name, the card number, and the expiration date embossed onto the card. The cards also usually included a signature field on the back of the card for the cardholder to provide a signature to protect against forgery and tampering. Thus, the cards served as devices to provide data to merchants and the security associated with the card was the comparison of the cardholder's signature on the card to the cardholder's signature on a receipt along with the embossed cardholder's name on the card.
Due to the popularity of transaction cards, numerous companies, banks, airlines, trade groups, sporting teams, clubs and other organizations have developed their own transaction cards. As such, many companies continually attempt to differentiate their transaction cards and increase market share not only by offering more attractive financing rates and low initiation fees, but also by offering unique, aesthetically pleasing features on the transaction cards. As such, many transaction cards include not only demographic and account information, but the transaction cards also include graphic images, designs, photographs and security features. A relatively recent security feature is the incorporation of a diffraction grating, or holographic image, into the transaction card which appears to be three-dimensional. Holographic images restrict the ability to fraudulently copy or reproduce transaction cards because of the need for extremely complex systems and apparatus for producing holograms.
Administrative and security issues, such as charges, credits, merchant settlement, fraud, reimbursements, etc., have increased due to the increasing use of transaction cards. Thus, the transaction card industry started to develop more sophisticated transaction cards which allowed the electronic reading, transmission, and authorization of transaction card data for a variety of industries. For example, magnetic stripe cards, optical cards, smart cards, calling cards, and supersmart cards have been developed to meet the market demand for expanded features, functionality, and security. In addition to the visual data, the incorporation of a magnetic stripe on the back of a transaction card allows digitized data to be stored in machine readable form. As such, magnetic stripe readers are used in conjunction with magnetic stripe cards to communicate purchase data received from a cash register device on-line to a host computer along with the transmission of data stored in the magnetic stripe, such as account information and expiration date.
Due to the susceptibility of the magnetic stripe to tampering, the lack of confidentiality of the information within the magnetic stripe and the problems associated with the transmission of data to a host computer, integrated circuits were developed which could be incorporated into transaction cards. These integrated circuit (IC) cards, known as smart cards, proved to be very reliable in a variety of industries due to their advanced security and flexibility for future applications. However, even integrated circuit cards are susceptible to counterfeiting.
As magnetic stripe cards and smart cards developed, the market demanded international standards for the cards. The card's physical dimensions, features and embossing area were standardized under the International Standards Organization (“ISO”): ISO 7810 and ISO 7811. The issuer's identification, the location of particular compounds, coding requirements, and recording techniques were standardized in ISO 7812 and ISO 7813, while chip card standards were established in ISO 7813. For example, ISO 7811 defines the standards for the magnetic stripe which is a 0.5 inch-wide stripe located either in the front or rear surface of the card and which is divided into three longitudinally parallel tracks. The first and second tracks hold read-only information with room for 79 alphanumeric characters and 40 numeric characters, respectively. The third track is reserved for financial transactions and includes enciphered versions of the user's personal identification number, country code, currency units, amount authorized per cycle, subsidiary accounts, and restrictions.
Typical transaction cards have first and second surfaces that have no textured patterns disposed therein. For example, typical transaction cards are typically made from a plurality of rigid polymeric layers, wherein outer layers are provided to provide protection to graphics and functional features of the transaction card. Moreover, printed graphics, a magnetic stripe, an integrated microchip, a holographic security feature, or other like elements, may be disposed on or in close proximity to one of the surfaces of the transaction card so as to be usable. The graphics may be viewable, and may provide information such as the type of transaction card, the name or visage of the owner of the transaction card, or other like information. Moreover, the magnetic stripe and/or integrated microchip may store information thereon to be read by a reader. In addition, security features may be provided, such as holographic imagery, to ensure that the transaction card is authentic. The protective layer of polymeric material, typically polyethylene terephthalate, is laminated thereon. The protective layer is typically very smooth and glossy.
Features that generally protrude from the surface of the transaction card, or otherwise are provided on a surface of the transaction card, may include, for example, a signature panel and embossed characters. The signature panel typically merely includes a strip of material able to be written thereon with a pen or other writing instrument. Moreover, a transaction card typically may have embossed characters produced by punching the transaction card in one surface of the transaction card such that the characters protrude from the other surface of the transaction card. Embossed characters typically provide information that may be viewable or extracted from the transaction using a transfer material and “rubbing” the embossed characters and transferring the information via the transfer material. The embossed characters do not, however, constitute a graphic pattern in at least one surface of a transaction card according to the present invention.
When handled by a user of the transaction card, no feature provides both distinctive visual and tactile properties. In other words, because transaction cards are standardized, only a small number of features distinguish one transaction card from another. In addition, since the surfaces of transaction cards are fairly smooth and glossy, maintaining a grip on the transaction cards may be difficult, such as for removing the transaction card from a wallet or a purse, or removing a transaction card from a device that can read the transaction card, such as an automatic teller machine (“ATM”) or other like machine.
A need, therefore, exists for a transaction card having a textured pattern disposed in at least one surface of the transaction card thereby providing both tactile and visual properties to the transaction card. Moreover, a need exists for a transaction card having a textured pattern disposed in at least one surface of the transaction card to provide at least one surface that is more easily gripped than a typical transaction card. In addition, a need exists for a transaction card having a textured pattern thereupon for increasing security of transaction cards and decreasing the ability to counterfeit transaction cards.
In addition, a need exists for a transaction card having a textured pattern disposed in at least one surface thereof whereby the transaction card is able to be used like a traditional transaction cards. Specifically, a need exists for a transaction card that is usable in an ATM, whereby the transaction card is gripped and pulled into the ATM or, alternatively, the transaction card can be swiped in a transaction card reader, without interference from the textured pattern disposed in at least one surface of the transaction card. Moreover, a need exists for textured pattern on a transaction card that does not interfere with the proper use of the signature panel, magnetic stripe, holographic image, microchip, or other like feature.